ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  2. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stock — a soup base
  2. branch — a division
  3. chip — for betting
  4. rash — a series
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. chip — in a computer
  7. content — happy
  8. rash — hasty
  9. content — the amount
  10. bear — the animal
  11. branch — of a bank
  12. chip — to eat
  13. rash — on the skin
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. stock — goods
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. content — videos and posts
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bear — the animal
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stock — shares
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. branch — of a tree

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com